I needed more from it

We’ve all heard the story that kids who go off to college, in large numbers, loose their faith. The reason usually given is that they aren’t equipped for the questions that they will face. What’s a parent to do? Well Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler have the answer. It’s in their new (sort of) book, “Don’t Check Your Brain at the Door.”

I say it’s sort of a new book because it’s really an updated version of a book they published back in the early ‘90s. It is structured as basically a series of main sections with small (3-5 pages generally) chapters with answers to specific “difficulties” they will face. Things like questions about their faith that they may not be able to answer.

I’m torn by the book. On the one hand, a handbook for these types of difficulties is an important thing. However each section is so small that it renders them shallow in content. While the answers aren’t bad, they lack depth in some cases. Perhaps it’s me but I’d rather have the long answer than the short one. Especially in this environment where the shallow answer won’t satisfy. The people the intended audience will deal with will be looking for fuller answers than this provides. And that is sad as I’m sure these authors could provide them.

By the way, I was given this book for free by Thomas Nelson in exchange for writing a review. The opinions are my own and weren’t swayed by getting the book for free.